A Billion Reasons to Smile

California Travel Blog

As I was going through my old myspace page, contemplating if I should delete it or not, I found this old blog, and smiled. As I do just about every time I read an old journal entry of mine, I shook my head and wondered Why don't I write down my thoughts more often? I love reading them years later-reminds me of how far I've come. Sometimes it humbles me, makes me feel silly at things I've done, but other times it makes me proud of myself and the dreams I've seen through. This here is one of those proud moments; one of those blogs I sat down and wrote out of pure and utter passion and awe of the world.

A young, somewhat naive sophomore in college, I had listened to the news and studied in class about all the terrible things happening out there. People say this world is a crazy place. That we're ruining it. Yeah, there's a lot we need to work on, but I refused to believe that there aren't a billion reasons to get out there and experience all the good that there is on this beautiful planet.

Because what is life, without passion?

So for six months it's just me, my backpack, and a billion reasons to smile.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

backpacking around the worldCurrent mood: determined

i've decided that i want to backpack around the world when i graduate and before i go to grad school. i want to see everything, live for 6 months with nothing but what's on my back.

i want to experience cultures and traditions; beauty and history of a world beyond the borders of this continent i was so blessed to be born on. i want to learn what it really means to be humble and respectful in a country that's not my own and actually has still clung to its values. i want to know what it means to be happy to people who don't naively try to believe the myth that money can buy them happiness. i want to climb a really tall mountain, ride a bus across the sahara desert, make friends with a little spanish boy-even though i don't speak his language. i want to skydive...because the thought of that scares me to death. i want to fall asleep with a book in a hammock in figi, be kissed by a boy in paris, visit my relatives in sweden and eat a real swedish meal, ride a camel in egypt.

i want to do it all and more. i want to really experience life, and when i'm 75 years old i want to look back at all that i've done, all the people that have taught me, and all the ones i've had an impact on, and smile.